New U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly fall to 452,000

Chronicle ^

[traumer]

WASHINGTON — A fitful economic recovery is drawing strength from a stabilizing job market and signs that manufacturing will contribute to the rebound.

The latest sign was a government report today that the number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week. And the four-week average for claims, which smooths out fluctuations, fell for the 16th straight week, to its lowest point since September 2008, when the financial crisis hit with full force.

Further evidence of a gradually healing economy was a report that orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket durable goods rose in November. The overall increase was less than expected. But excluding the volatile transportation category, the gains were twice what economists had forecast.

The Labor Department said the number of new jobless claims fell to a 452,000 last week, down 28,000 from the previous week, on a seasonally adjusted basis. That’s a better performance than the decline to 470,000 that economists had expected.

And the four-week average for claims, which smooths out fluctuations, fell to 465,250 — the 16th straight weekly decline.

Stocks rose after the positive reports on unemployment and durable goods orders. Major indexes all touched new 2009 highs in midmorning trading. The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 40 points, or 0.4 percent.

Unemployment claims have been falling unevenly since summer. That improvement is seen as a sign that jobs cuts are slowing and hiring could pick up early next year. The fall in weekly claims of 28,000 last week, which followed two smaller weekly increases, shows that the halting improvement continues.

[muawiyah]

Yes, the level of job cuts is beginning to level off at something below a half million men per month.

This is a disaster of Biblical proportions!

[Hugin]

Nobody left to layoff.

[bray]

Is there such a thing as a job losing recovery?

Mary Christmas

[jeffc]

Strange. When Bush was Prez and jobless claims fell, the media were telling us it was because it was partly those whose unemployment benefits had run out, and the others were people who had just given up looking for work.
Then they (the media) would go on and on about how the real figure wasn't out there for everyone to see and how Bush and his cronies were covering up the real unemployment figure, which the media would toss in everyone who wasn't working full-time at a livable wage . . .and their dog (just for good measure and to bump the figures up even higher).

[familyop]

Wow! Only 452,000 new claims for unemployment benefits filed in one week! LOL! And things have only been going downhill since the lock against new hiring in early December, 2007 (attempt at smothering things a little to lower freight fuel and foreign product prices).

Oh, and the manufacturing that will revive the economy will begin after the politically correct, anti-American government-corporates go down. ...and the local government zoning “laws,” HOAs all go down. The big default is on the way, and the new beginning will come after that.

[familyop]

"What in the heck is going on, is the media that lost?"

No. But the media disseminations are sponsored by business controllers of speech and government.

[sickoflibs]

Considering the trillions being spent something should happen, of course all that money is borrowed, much of it created out of thin air. Not a good sign for the future.

[autumnraine]

Isn’t there some “unexpectedly” GIF or something?

[evad]

Ask yourself, "are you better off or worse off than you were two years ago?"

That should be the line for all pubbies running in 2010. Seems like it worked pretty well before.

Best line of the year:
"What I find interesting is that no one looks back to when the Democrats took control of Congress. In January 2007 the economy was strong, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood above 10,000 and was rising, and unemployment was 4.3%. The mess that Mr. Obama is now trying to clean up is the result of the 2007 Democratic Congress. And if you think that is bad, wait until you see the mess created by this Congress."

How prophetic! Major props to whoever said it.

[piytar]

So what were the leftscum calling bad news under GW, you know, the worst economy ever? That’s right, not enough JOB CREATION. (Link to Daily Kos provided for proof of veracity, but don’t feel obligated to give them the hits: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/4/91412/9064)

Hypocritical pukes.

[SouthTexas]

[Recovering_Democrat]

What a croc. Remember when this happened under Bush? Any positive sign happening was "tempered" with "but troubling signs remain..."

With Hussein the Prompter Reader, everything is painted rosy.

Except people KNOW better.

[Lando Lincoln]

This is from someone who earns a living from the wind industry... Wind farms will, one day, be a monument to man’s stupidity.

[Lando Lincoln]

Gosh... don’t know how, but I posted to the wrong thread. It was an exceedingly intelligent post nonetheless.

[airborne]

Obama probably counts your friend’s job as one of those he “saved or created”.

[deepthought]

Now that the Christmas season is over and the temp workers are laid off there will an “unexpected” jump in unemployment.

[autumnraine]

God I miss that show!

[screaminsunshine]

They are hiring 750,000 government temp census workers in the spring. This will be Heralded in the Socialist media as the “Happy Days Are Here Again”.

[cripplecreek]

Kinda like sitting and watching a movie with a couple of good friends.

The original “caption this”.

[shield]

Who can believe ANYTHING coming out of DC...